Knitting machine



Jan. l, 1935. A. E. STEWART` 1,985,753

KNITMNG MACHINE Filed Feb. 2', 19:52 5 sheets-sheet 1 di) PR;

im muy Mli/VENTR I M Jan. 1, 1935. A, E, STEWART KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb .Y 2, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 'a ATTO/ Jan. 1, 1935.I Av E' STEWART 1,986,753 Y KNITTING MACHINE v Filed Feb. 2. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /NvENTQR l Arron/vf;

Jan. l, 1935. A' E, STEWART 1,986,753

KNITTING vMACHINE Filed Feb. 2, 1932 5 Sheets- Sheet 4 //V VEN TUR Jan. 1, 1935. A, E, STEWART 1,986,753

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2. 1952 5 sheets-sheet 5 ingle T /NVE/VTOR Patented Jan.'1',1935- y f www STATES Pajr'riazlyi "oFFlICE This invention relates to knitting machinesof the circular or rotary type and is more especially concerned with mechanisms for controlling the feeding of thread to the needles of such machines.

In most knitting machines the changing of the threads or the'introduction of a reinforcing thread 1 is effected lby means of thread guiding fingers cooperating with suitablecutting and clamping apparatus, all located Within the circlefofthe needles. 'In some machines, however, the space Within the circle of needles is occupied by mechanism which makes it impossible to Vuse `the xeA ordinary thread lingers and thread clamps. `In such machines, therefore, it becomes necessaryto perform the thread changing and splicing operations in a different manner. o This hasbeen done heretofore by twisting a new thread to `be introduced on to the thread which is beingknit into the goods to cause the latter to carry in the additional thread. While such an arrangement can be used satisfactorily for some purposes,it obviously is not suitable foruse such operations; as making a` high splice'in a stocking or inneinforcing the bottom of the foot portion' of the" stocking to makewhatis commonly kno'vvn as a l double sole.

thesejconsiderations. ,o It aims to devisea mechanism for introducingja reinforcing;thread,lY or making some other changein thethreads WithI which the knittingoperation is beingperformed,l while leavingthe space within the circle of n'ee-l dles substantially free and at the same time` conl trolling the handling of the threadsA accuratelygl` and entirely automatically. The `invention will;

be herein disclosed asfembodied in a mechanism adapted especially for use in making the splice or reinforcement just 'above the heel of astocking, or in reinforcing the lower portion of the foot, but it will be evident thatfeaturesof the inven-` tion are also applicable to thread changing and otherv thread handling `operations in a circular` knitting machine. l f i The nature of the invention will be readily understood from thefollowingl description when read in connection with the accompanying draw# ings, and the novel features will be particularlyI aknitting machine` equipped .with mechanism` embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view: of the construction shown o inder types, the particular machine shown is of o in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectionalviewfpartlyin ele# l `conditions; h

vation, showing" parts of the ,mechanism illustrated in Figs.' land 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan `vievvpartly in horizontal section, showing certain of the parts which control the movement of the supplemental or splicing threadinto and out ofposition to be taken by the needles; l.

o Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the thread ring and certain of the parts associated therewith, no attempt being made in any of these gures to show the correct spacing of the needles.

Fig. 5a is a diagrammatic view illustrating the.`

path taken by the splicing thread under certain' Fig. 6 is a`vi`evv,`` partly side elevation and partly in vertical section, of the thread clamping and cutting mechanism Fig. 7 is a perspective view of said thread clamp-` ing and cutting mechanism; h

Fig.` 8 is a horizontal, sectional view showing the manner whichfthe splicing thread is `cut and clamped;

IFig. Saisa fragmentary view 4from a point inside the needle cylinder illustrating the relative positions of theI thread, guide, the thread` clamp,

. o f and the needles asthey-descend `to the knitting The present invention ,deals especially" vvitl'rV 1 v Pointp" t s y v Fig. 9 is a plan view of parts of the operating mechanism forfthe thread cutterand4 clamp; Fig `10 is a perspective view of astocking illustratingsome "of theyvork which may bedone with the mechanism .provided by this invention;

@Fig 11 is a vertical, sectional view, partly` in" elevation, illustrating a'thread tensioningdevice which may be used in the machine, together with mechanism foroperating it intermittently;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of certain parts shown in Fig..11; and

Fig. 13 is an end view of parts of theoperating mechanism shown in Fig. 1l. o, 1

For purposes of illustration the invention "is herein shown as embodied in a` hosiery knitting machine of the type shown in mypending applicai tion `Serial No. 405,949, led November 9, V.1929, now PatentNo. 1,943,265, the invention disclosed in said application being illustrated as applied to the circular or rotary hosiery knitting o, machineV known commercially as the "Acme Model D ma,` f chine". -For a more complete `disclosure of the latter machine reference maybemade" to Canadian PatentNo. 200,057, datedwMay 11, 1920. While the invention is equally applicable `to machines of the stationary. and revolving needle cylthe latter construction and includes an upright 'knitn into the fabric.

needle or needles 2 for the purpose of producing y design or pattern effects, such wrapping operations taking place while the needles continuato knit uninterruptedly with one or more main threads. In the present a main thread T, Figs. 1 and 5, is fed through'thethread ring ory latch ring 6 to the needles 2i, Ieither alone or together with a plating thread P. An additional reinforcing or splicing thread may be twisted onV to one of these main threads for thepurpose of reinforcing the heel and toe of the stocking beingknit by known means, but when itis desired to splice the portion of the stocking S, Fig. 10, immediately above lthe heel, as indicated ath, 'or the sole of the foot, as shown at f, a different arrangement must be used because of the neces` sity for starting and, stopping the splicing operationfon substantially the'same needles inv each course of knitting .so that the edges of the 'spliced sections will be substantially straight. Further-v more, because of the fact that most of the space' inside the thread ring is occupied by the looper head and the parts carried thereby, the mechanismV for" handling the reinforcing or splicing thread must be Vlocated outside the circle ci The machine shown isequipped with' needles.

mechanism for satisfying these conditions.

:Referring more especially to Figs. 2 to 5, it will be seen that the latch ring `6 .is cut away at the point 7, Fig. 5, to admit one end of a cutting andA clamping device which is designatedin generalloy` the numeral 8. As best shown in Fig. `v the'forwardor inner end of this device is'located in the notch formed by the wave of needles 2 where they descend to the knitting point, so that the clamping andcutting operations can be performedclosely adjacent to the knitting point. This device cooperates a thread guide 10 to support a rein-J' forcing orsplicing threadR in position to lbe taken by the needles.

yThe thread'guide 10 consists simply of a tube'l which is supported in a` slideg12, best shownin Fig. 4., this slide beingslotted, asl indicated atl 13,

toreceivea guiding lug 14 which is formed inte#v 1 gral with, or is secured rigidlyto, the latch ring'6.

Itwillrbejseen that when the thread guide 10isinv the position shown the thread' R will be held stretched-between the forwarder inner end of the tubeand'the thread clampand willoccupy a line approximately tangential to the circular series of needles but intersecting the path of movement of the hooks of the needles as theydescend'to the knitting point. In other words, the thread at this time is in position to be taken by the needles and moved toward the 'clamp 8 the thread R then will be swung outwardly AawayV from the circle or needles'intosuch a-position that the hooks of the needles cannot? take it, and knitting with this thread-thereupon will be interrupted.

Normall'ythe thread vguide 10 is heldin its oper-A i ativ'e position,` as shown in Fig. 4, by means of an If, however, the slide 12 isv withdrawn from its feeding position so that the needleseannot take it during the other half of the revolution of said cylinder. In other words, this thread must be fed to approximately half of the Vneedles inthey circle but not to the other half. In

lorder to` control the thread in this manner a cam 23, Fig. 2, is mounted on the sinker ring to revolve with the needle cylinder and has an angular extent of slightly less than 180. 'Ihe forward end 24 of' this cam is made square and is arranged to strike a shoulder .25,.Fig, 4,.on the end of the swinging arm 16. When this occurs said arm will be swung farenough to carry theY pin v away from the slide 12, whereupon .a spring 26 operates through the arm 27 and the engagement of said arm with a shoulder 28 on the slide to move this slide toward the cutting and clamping device 8, thus carrying the thread R. out of operative relationship to the needles 2, as above described. The slide 12 remains in this position until'the trailing end of the cam'23 moves out of engagement with the end of the arm 16 at which time thespring 2O again returns the `slide 12 to its original position, as shown in Fig. `4, Ythe spring v overcoming the action ofthe spring 26. This returns the thread guide'lO to its operative position where the reinforcing thread Ris again taken by the needles and between' the needles and the clamping point..

vReferring more especially to Figs. 6 to 9 it will be seen that the clamping and cutting device comprisesl'a supporting pece which is mounted rigidly on* the arm 28, Fig.` 2, and has a tapered nose whichprojectsv through the aperture 7. Positioned in aslot formed in this supporting member 8 is a stationary clamping piece 30 which is provided at its extremity with a downwardly ex-` tending nger. 31'. This clamping piece lies between two blades32y and 33 respectively, which are arranged to reciprocate .in slots provided in the part 8 at oppositefsides of the member 30. The blades are removably secured to a plunger 34 which is mounted to reciprocate in a guiding slot 35, Fig, formed in a cap piece 36 which is screwed to the support 8. Secured rigidly in and extendingl downwardly from the slide or plunger 3,4 is a pin 37v which is .grooved,'a's shown at 38. to receive a latch piece 40 that is connected by a coiled spring 41 to a lug 42 projecting upwardly fromonej'member of a stationary guide 43. vThis guide is supported on a bracket member. '72, Fig. 3, and it supports a plunger 44 for sliding movement forward and backward in a direction parallel to'the` slide 34e.v When this plunger is moved backwardly its rearwardl end strikes the pin 37, thus operating through ythe slide 34 to move the blades 32 and 33 backwardly so that their extreme forward ends lie behind or to the left, Fig. 6, of the Cil ` `clamping nger 31. This opens the, thread clamp.V

.1` `Operation of the `clamp in this manner iseffectedy for; the purpose of releasingthe thread, by

f prior to the cutting operation is facilitated by the fact that the thread isno longer being taken by the needles but, isl stretched between the last needle which `hastaken it and the inner end of means of thecam f1= 5,`Fg. 2, whichrotates with the needle cylinder and `with the cam23 but is 'locatdat a slightly higherelevation than the latter carne..` The angular extent of the cam 45` determinesfthe length of time thatgthe thread clamp will be held open. `'The clamp isyallowed to `close immediatelyafter it J has `released ,thel thread, and it is again opened by another cam 46, Fig.,2, immediately after1 the-thread `guide l0 hasbeen moved out of-its operative Mposition.

Both'cams45 and 46 are mounted on the sinker ring. As soonas the cam. 46 passes outof engagement with the'plunger 42 the spring 41 forces the blades 32 and `33.forwar d. again to' close the clampand to cut'the thread,` the extent of this `closing movement beinglimited-by the adjustable j screw 39. `Referring to Fig'.r;8,it;wi1ltbe seen that the blade 32 which is nearer to thethread guide- 10 `has a rounded forward edge to gripthe thread R `between the blade and theclamping finger.`

The other blade 33 has a sharpened edge and cooperates with one face of the finger `31 to cut the thread, the finger acting 'as' a shearing block. Due to the fact thatthe threadi's cutclosely adjacent to the knittingpoint, thelength of -loose thread'left inside the@ fabric Vcan belmade very short, as shown, for` example, at 13 Fig. 5.'

The engagement ofthe thread with the clamp l. the thread guide 140. This thread guide has moved `from its operative position, as indicated'at 1()r in IFig. 5a, into its inoperative position 10'.. -As the last needle holding the` thread: moves awayfrom the knitting point it 'lifts the thread R.A directly into the cut-away `space behind theiclamping ringer 31, this action also being facilitated by the:

fact'that the needlesare moving away from the clamp; Due` to this `arrangement a positive and i certain engagementof the thread with, the clamping and cutting device is effected.` This actionis also `assisted by the movement of the thread guide toward the` clamp andthe factthatit is` positioned at a higherxelevation than the clamp.

As above stated,`it is important that the reinforcing operation in successive courses ofpknit# ting shall begin and end with thesame needles.

IInpther words, that a :certain needle shall alwaystake the reinforcing thread initially in each` course, and that anotherneedle at a later point f `in the cylinder shallknit in thenal stitch with this reinforcing `threadiin each course.U I have found that this object canbe conveniently-accomplished by so positioning the guide' `10 and the clamp 8 that the guiding and clamping points bei tween which the thread is initially/stretched ,for i `engagement with the lneedles `shall `cause'gthis thread to intersect the pathof travel of the needlesvat a point where they are descending toward the knitting point.. On this downward slope of the wave of needles the needlehooks areU separated by a substantial distance from each lother so that by making the thread cutfthis path `of travel of thehooks onA the downward slant, the same hook Acan,be.madetoinitially engage the` thread in practically every revolution of thencedlecylinder while the reinforced section ofthe `fabric is being made. Accuracy intiming neces- V `sary to obtain this degree of control also is facilil. @mehr locating Centraline wel??? fet the..

thread guide closely adjacent `to and `partly-'surrounding th'e needle, cylinder-where it rotates in unison `with `said cylinder. v

. Duringthetkmmng rof, the hee1 and merit is desirable, to move bothl the thread guide andthe cutting -andclamping device out of their` normal positions lsc as to avoid any possibility of interferinggwith the knitting operations while the, cylinder 'is reciprocating. For the purpose of moving the thread guide and the operating mechanism associated therewith, the swinging arm l6 issupported on the slide 18, as above described, and this slideis mounted in a bracket 49 to move backward and forward in `an approximately rament` occursthe lever is swung in aclockwise direction, Figo;` 3, thusoperating through the pin 48gandvslide 18` to moveall of the parts carried by saidslide into their'forward or operative posi-,i tions. `As soon, however, as one of the cam lugsy 54 .or55 moveswoutpf engagement with the pin.

5,6, the slide-,18;and the parts mounted thereon are immediatelymoved rearwardly out of their` `operative positions by means'of acoiledspring` 57 locatedin the bracket 49 and bearing against aV plunger 58 which,in turn, engages a depending arrnmfdv secured rigidly to; the rearward end of the;slide, 18.Y l i i i "I'hemovement of the slide 18` out of its operative positioncarries the pin V15 toward the left,

Eig..4,r,out of'engagement with the shoulder 61i of the slide 12 on which it normallybears, and

permits the` spring actuated arm 27 to move the slide toward the clamp 8 and thusto carry the thread guide 10 into itsinoperative or non-feeding` position. Upon the return movement ofv the slide". 18 the.pin15 engages the inclined face `62 of theslide 12 and moves this slide back in to its former i Y i position again.

'I'hepattern drum Model D Acme machine,vpreviously referred to, and is under thedirect control of the main pat-` tern chain of the machine, the arrangement being such that the shaft 53 makes one complete revolutionduring the knitting of each stocking. In the particular arrangement shown `the cam` lugs 54` and 55 on the cam 52 are provided to hold i the slide 18 in its forward or operative position during those'periods onlyin which the reinforced..

sections h and f are being knit. i i

A mechanism similar Ato that above described is provided to move the thread clamping and i cutting device into andoutof its `operative position, this mechanism comprising av cam 64, Figs. 1. and2, secured fast on the pattern drum shaft i 53, `the lugs` on` said cam being arranged toengage a roll or stud-g65 whichis carried by and projects laterallytfrom a lever` 66 fulcrumed on the machine frame at 67, Fig. 1.V A link 68 con nects the upper end of this lever with one arm `'70 of a bell crank leverlfulcrumed on the pin '71'` vwhich is supported in .the stationary bracket 72" carried` by the'post 73. The other arm of said bell ,crank leverdconsistsof the support 28 on` which the cutting andgclamping `device is mounted. :A coiled spring 74 acts through the links 68 to hold `the cutting and clamping device normally in its operative position.

shaft 53 a part of the iii sonrie tension shuid be appliedV tothe' rein'- forcing'thread R.,"and for this purpose it may be y run through a thread tensioning device 75, Figs.-

lan'd 2, of a'c'ommon type. Due to the fact, however; that this reinforcing thread is fed tothe needles in aY plating relationship to the main `thread or threads, and tothe furthergfactrthatl 'when two threads are fed in this manner the tensioned' thread tends to come tothe outside of4 the fabric,` it is usually preferable to have the reinforcingfthread R run as'freely as possible. At the `same time considerable tension should be applie'dto it atapproximately the time that it is beingA movedv out of the position to be taken by v the needles in order 'to avoid the presence of any substantial amount of slack thread adjacent to th e'--needles.y Forfthisreason I prefer to equip the machine with a device for applying an intermittent'te'nsionY tothe thread R. This device is-,` illustrated in Figs. 11', v12 and 13. It may conveniently be mounted on the link 68, previously referred togand consists of a small bracket 77 secured rigidly to said link and carrying an' upright hollow'post 78'at itsouter end.- Al thread disk 80' issecured"horizontally on'the upper end ofV said post.v Extending 'throughithe post 78 is a plunger orpini 81 which serves to center a looseA thread ehgagingrdisk 82 adapted tot. rest'on the vlower disk 80and pressed lightly againstthe latter disk weight of the disk 82 and the pressureof the spring 83, the degree of friction so applied being predetermined by the adjustment of the collar 84 on'the pin 81. vWhen, however, the pin 81 is lifted it also raises the upper disk 82 due to ther fact that the latter disk rests on a shoulder on the tioned -to bear against the end of a slide 91.`

ping'a'nd the drag or tension on the thread then is removed; A I'It is desirable to have this drag or tensionap- "pliedat substantially the linstantY that the thread guide moves out of its operative'position` andv to-have the tension relieved when the thread guide 'begins to move back to its operative position again.-V -This action occurs in everyrevolu tion of the needle cylinder." Consequently, an operating mechanismjis provided to move the pin 81 yup vand down comprising a cam 86, Fig. 11, lsecured fast on the main shaft 87 of the machine.

An'iupright pin 88 rests on the periphery of said cam and is arranged'toengage one arm cfa bell cranklever 9i),v` the opposite arm of which is posi# The shaft 87 'is the main shaft of the machine and is geared directly to the needle cylinder so that it makes one complete revolution during each revolutionV` of the needle cylinder. When the high 'part of the cam 86" lifts the pin88 this move-f ment is transmitted through the connections just describedA tothe slide 91 causing the left-hand bevelle'dlend', Fig.11,fof theslide'to raise the pin 81 and thus to lift the upperthreadY tensioning disk 82. As` the pin 88 drops oi the high part of the cam the spring 92 withdraws the slide91 and allowsthe vpin 81` to drop'again. The extent and timing of the high part of the cam 86 is such that the; reinforcing thread R is gripped and released at the desired points in each revolution of the needle cylinder.' i v When the reinforcingthread is not` being knit into the goods the link 68 is moved forward by its Lasagnel connections with the cam 64, asv above described, andsuch lforwa'rd movement carries the bracket 77- and the thread tensioning device supported thereby out of the rangel` ofoperation of the bell crank lever 90, but these' parts subsequently are restored to their cooperative" relationship when the link 68 is againv moved `backwardly to swing the threadclamping and cutting device into its operative position. ,This backward movement of the thread tensioning 'device 'may be timed to occur substantially simultaneously with the movement of the slide l2 intorits operative position so that both movements will cooperate to tighten the thread between the clamp 8 and the guide 10.

It may here be pointedV out that whenthe slide 18 is in its rearward or inoperative position with the pin 56 out of engagement with either lug 54 e or 55, thethread clamping and vcutting device is held 'in -its rearward or inoperative position by the engagement ofone'of thelugs of the cam 64 with-the pin 65. lThe clamp, however, is still holding the end-Tof the reinforcing yarn;v When the splicing or'reinforcing yarn is to be initially introduced to the needles at the beginning of sections f or h Vof thel stocking S,Fig. 10, the rotation of the shaft 58 moves the slide 18 forward through the mechanism 'above described, thus carrying the slide intolits operative position. At the' same time the pin 65, Figs. 1 and 2, is released by the lugs of the cam 64 and allows the spring 74 to swingthe arin' 28l forward', thus carrying the cutting and clamping device into its operative position. At substantially the completion of ,I

this movement, together with a similarmove nient of the slider 18, the reinforcing yarn is brought vinto a position tangentially intersectingl the circle of needles so'that it will be taken'by the needles. i

The. invention thus provides-a mechanism for.

introducing a thread to the hooks of the knitting machine needles and withdrawing it therefrom at times which may not. only bepredetermined accurately inthe cycle of operations of the machine, but also at denitely controlled points in the revolution of the needle cylinder. -This mech-.fr

anism has been found in practice to afford an' exceptionally accurate control 'of the feedingv of the thread and tobe extremely reliable in operation. Since all of the parts foihandling ,the reinforcing thread and the means for operating them are located outside of the circlel of needles,

the entirelspacewithin said circle is left free. In

addition, the accurate control of the thread' andi its delivery to and removal. from the needles'- at specified points in the circle of needles is of. great practicalirnportance in making straight lines at the :opposite edges of the reinforced sectiorisl With. thi's mechanism, also, exceptionally short free ends of thread are left at the opposite ends of each course. of reinforced knitting so that no additional trimming is necessary.

While I -have herein'shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it willbe evident that the invention may be embodied in.

inder supporting them, and cams for operating said needles, of a normally stationary thread clamping and cutting device mounted outside the circle of said needles and extending'under the latch ring but positioned to grip a thread at a f point closely adjacent to the bottom of the needle i operating said clamping and cutting device and Wave Where the needles cast their stitches at the y knitting point, a thread guide positioned entirely outside of said circular series of needles and above the latch ring and having a thread guiding eye located at a substantially higher elevation than l said cutting and clamping device and cooperating with it to support a thread in a line extending from said clamping `device upwardly andback` Wardly with reference to the direction of rotation of `the needles in such a position that it will be taken by said needles as they descend in appreaching the knitting point, means governedy by the pattern mechanism of the machine for moving said thread guide and said clamping and cutting device away from the needle cylinder preparatory to reciprocating said cylinder and toward said cylinder at the conclusion of reciproeating knitting, and cams revolving in xed relationship to the rotation of the needle cylinder for y moving said thread guide toward and from said `device at predetermined points in each revolution of the needle cylinder to cause said thread to be taken by the same group of needles in each revolution of the machine, said group of needles forming a fraction only of the entire circle of needles.

2, That improvement inmethods of feedinga reinforcing thread to a circular series of needles in a rotary knitting machine, which consists in ina `straight inclined line running fromsaid clamping point to said guiding point butntersecting the path of the hooksof the needles as they descend'to the knitting position, moving said thread guiding point toward said clamping point but along a path extending in approximately the saine general direction as that in which the needles adjacent to said path are moving forward and at a substantially higher elevation than said clamping point .to prevent the needles from taking y the thread when desired, moving said guiding point in the opposite direction to present the thread to the said needles again, maintaining said thread clamping point stationary and said thread guiding point entirely outside of said circle of needles during said movements, applying a strong tension to `said thread during the rst mentioned movement of said guiding point, relieving said tension during the opposite movement of said guiding point and cutting said thread in front of the clamping point substantially simultaneously i with each thread clamping operati-on. y

ALBERT E. STEWART. 

